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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Canoeist's wife guilty of fraud | Canoeist's wife guilty of fraud |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has been found guilty of fraudulently claiming £250,000 after helping her husband fake his own death. | The wife of back-from-the-dead canoeist John Darwin has been found guilty of fraudulently claiming £250,000 after helping her husband fake his own death. |
| Anne Darwin, 56, convinced insurance companies, a coroner and her sons that he had died in a canoe accident. | Anne Darwin, 56, convinced insurance companies, a coroner and her sons that he had died in a canoe accident. |
| She was convicted of six fraud charges and nine of money laundering at Teesside Crown Court. | She was convicted of six fraud charges and nine of money laundering at Teesside Crown Court. |
| Mr Darwin, who reappeared five years after vanishing in the sea near Hartlepool, has admitted deception. | Mr Darwin, who reappeared five years after vanishing in the sea near Hartlepool, has admitted deception. |
| Anne Darwin had put forward the defence of "marital coercion", meaning her husband made her act against her will, but her claims were dismissed by the jury. | Anne Darwin had put forward the defence of "marital coercion", meaning her husband made her act against her will, but her claims were dismissed by the jury. |
| The couple came up with the plot as they faced bankruptcy. | The couple came up with the plot as they faced bankruptcy. |
| In March 2002, John Darwin paddled out to sea near his home in Seaton Carew, then abandoned his boat and went into hiding. | In March 2002, John Darwin paddled out to sea near his home in Seaton Carew, then abandoned his boat and went into hiding. |
| Detective Inspector Andy Greenwood gives his reaction outside court | |
| His wife raised the alarm after driving him in secret to Durham railway station and a huge air sea rescue operation was mounted, without success. | His wife raised the alarm after driving him in secret to Durham railway station and a huge air sea rescue operation was mounted, without success. |
| He apparently spent several weeks in the Lake District, then returned home, where Anne Darwin kept him hidden inside the house. | He apparently spent several weeks in the Lake District, then returned home, where Anne Darwin kept him hidden inside the house. |
| When visitors called, he used a secret door to sneak into an adjoining bedsit, also owned by the Darwins. | When visitors called, he used a secret door to sneak into an adjoining bedsit, also owned by the Darwins. |
| Anne Darwin claimed her husband's £25,000 life insurance policy, his £25,000 teacher's pension, his £58,000 prison service pension, £4,000 in payouts from the Department of Work and Pensions, and a £137,000 Norwich Union mortgage insurance policy. | Anne Darwin claimed her husband's £25,000 life insurance policy, his £25,000 teacher's pension, his £58,000 prison service pension, £4,000 in payouts from the Department of Work and Pensions, and a £137,000 Norwich Union mortgage insurance policy. |
| The couple planned to start a new life together in Panama, but the plot unravelled when John Darwin walked into a London police station last December. | The couple planned to start a new life together in Panama, but the plot unravelled when John Darwin walked into a London police station last December. |
| Police believe his sudden return may have been sparked by a row. | Police believe his sudden return may have been sparked by a row. |
| Speaking outside Teesside Crown Court, Det Insp Andy Greenwood, of Cleveland Police, said: "We're pleased with the verdict received. Anne Darwin has been a compulsive liar. | Speaking outside Teesside Crown Court, Det Insp Andy Greenwood, of Cleveland Police, said: "We're pleased with the verdict received. Anne Darwin has been a compulsive liar. |
| "Every time evidence was put to her she came up with an account - she reacted to the evidence and another account was brought out. | "Every time evidence was put to her she came up with an account - she reacted to the evidence and another account was brought out. |
| "This is just 'half time'. Asset recovery teams will make sure that all the couple's financial benefits realised from this plot will be brought back into to this country." | "This is just 'half time'. Asset recovery teams will make sure that all the couple's financial benefits realised from this plot will be brought back into to this country." |
| Both will face sentencing later. | Both will face sentencing later. |
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| John Darwin used a hidden door to sneak into the adjoining house |